[Journal Excerpt – Joy Whiskers, 15432a-f23]

Hey mom, it’s me again.

Didn’t get to do much today, don’t worry! We’re still on your trail, but sometimes, there’s just no leads to follow. Delani says MarsCO is digging up info though, so it’s not like we’re sitting on our tails.

Red took me to a café today! A nice little place, the kind that me and you used to visit when you knew I needed cheering up. Built for regular Vectors, but accommodating of Laterals. If I had to sum up how Red’s acted towards me, I guess it would be accommodating. M-maybe just a little warm. He’s always offering me some place to sit, or rest. He carries me around a whole bunch, in a little teacup he stole from the apartment (don’t be angry!). In the café today he let me drink from his cup, and sliced a little bit of cake for me. It was all very cosy and warm, and not the least bit expensive.

But I suppose what I like most about Red is... well... he’s a friend, I guess. One of the best. He’s been with me through my ups and downs, and that’s no small feat when you consider the problems of his own he’s dealing with! If I thought being a lateral was bad, how rough would it be if everyone, everywhere, saw you as a freak, or were afraid of you? When we first met, I thought being Followed would be easy. At least you can still use regular doors, right? But there’s no way to mitigate being Followed. There’s no ‘cure’ for his shadow. I could use a pushframe, or get one of those mech suits, or even a new body! But Red? He’ll be stuck with his shadow forever.

Well, his shadow and me, now.

[Journal end]

O O O O O

Drawn for my fran rabidbadger , this is his character Red, but in the Hc Svnt Draconas tabletop setting! He's a kickass archer with a shadow that looks like it's from another dimension! rabidbadger drew the shadow for me, which was sweet!